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8 Apps That Can Do Wonders For Your Career

We’re talking about the job market, of course. And in this competitive environment, even small advantages can have a big impact on whether you land the gig.

Small advantages like these eight low-cost (and, in many cases, free) apps, which can help you climb the career ladder in countless ways—whether it’s streamlining your job search, prepping you for the big interview and even schooling you on the best way to tender your resignation.

An App for … Job Hunting

Hidden Jobs (.99) Why search for just one gig when you could be trolling for hundreds? This app scours news articles, company press releases and online media daily to get a sneak peek at companies that have announced expansions and new locations—thus ensuring you get a jump start on upcoming positions before they hit the career sites. (Fact: Up to 80% of job openings aren’t advertised.)

The app’s simple drop-down menu allows you to choose a state, and then lists company names, town locations and the number of positions expected to be created, along with a link to the original news source. Here’s to the adult version of Hide and Seek—career-style!

An App for … Revamping Your Résumé

Visualize.me (free) The nineties called and they want their résumé back. Translation: It’s time to give that tired Word doc (you know the one, with default fonts and formatting) a major upgrade. One of the most eye-catching ways to do so? Dressing up your résumé with smart designs from Visualize.me.

The graph-happy app culls your LinkedIn profile to create clean, easy-to-read graphics that convey your work history and skills at a glance—converting bulleted text into graphics, as well as weighing your career history, education, interests and skills with your level of expertise. Those “weights” are then used to fashion a colorful infographic of your professional experience through timelines, bar charts, word clouds and more for an attention-grabbing résumé that’s off the charts.

An App for … Recon on a Potential Employer

Glassdoor (free) Think of it as the Yelp for work. This comprehensive career community gives you an insider’s look at job openings through user-generated content—company reviews, C.E.O. approval ratings, company-specific salary reports (including stock options and bonuses) and even office photos—supplied by in-the-know current and former employees.

Once you’ve set up your feed, indicating your desired location and interests, you’ll receive push notifications. See one you like? Read reviews about the work culture and environment there, pros and cons on senior management, and even the scoop on the interview process—as experienced by former applicants—to obtain an accurate snapshot of what it’s like to walk through those, ahem, glass doors on a daily basis.

Interview Prep Questions (free) No frills but to the point (much like those informational meetings with HR), this app helps prepare you for probing interview questions, such as “what makes an ideal boss?” and “explain how your knowledge has grown in the last 12 months.”

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